The Nightwing
by ZombieDinosaur
Summary: Based on the universe created by Christopher Nolan. The sequel picks up where Dark Knight Rises ended. In the aftermath of Bane's terrorism, a city looks for a hero. Robin John Blake is thrown into taking up the mantle of the Batman. But something holds him back as new villains rise to challenge justice and take revenge.


Prologue: Ruins

Darkness. That's what he saw. Nothing but darkness. The sun light attempted to break through. It was then that he saw smoke. Thick and black. An odor of chaos, death, and destruction. The thick black clouds billowed and swirled around themselves. Until he saw something. A break in the smoke. The light began to pour through. It started small and then it grew. The smoke was receding as the light took the shape of a bat.

…

The sunlight poured through the window of the building.

The young boy sat in his father's study as the man with greying black hair, a black business suit, and a clean shaven face stumbled around the office gathering all the money he could find. The boy watched his father.

"Daddy…I thought you were going to take me to school," said the little boy no older than six. The man looked at his son. He stopped and approached his son. He had only gathered a few rogue dollars. He smiled as he brushed the boy's long curly hair out of his face.

"We'll leave in a minute, pal. I promise. Daddy has a very important business man coming and he has to be ready for him. Why don't you read your book? You like that book, right?" asked the man. The boy nodded. He went and sat down in the oversized arm chair and pulled out a Curious George book.

Then there was a knock on the front door of the house. The man stood up and looked at the front door. He walked over to his son.

"Robin, you need to stay here. I'll be right outside. I'm going to talk to this man but I need you to play hide and seek for me. Can you do that?" asked the boy's father. The boy nodded as he looked up from the colorful book of pictures. "You need to stay here. I'll be right back. I love you, Robin."

"I love you too, Daddy," said the boy. The man hugged the little boy as another harder knock on the door sounded. He then left the study and locked the door behind him. He walked down the hall and opened the door.

A long blond haired man with a goatee stood in the doorway. He was wearing a torn and beaten up green jacket and smelled of cigarettes.

"You owe a lot of money, Mr. Blake. A lot of money to some very powerful people. You have it?" asked the man.

"I don't have all of it, Anthony…but please…give me another month and I'll have the money," said Mr. Blake. Anthony Zucco pulled out a small revolver from his coat.

"You don't have another month, Mr. Blake," said Zucco. "Turn around and get on the ground."

"What…no…please, Anthony. Don't do this," said Blake as he began to sob.

"Turn the hell around and get on the ground!" yelled the man. It was the yelling that attracted the boy to watch the scene. In the study, the little boy put down his book as he went to the window. The blinds were down put he saw the scene of his father getting down on his knees and turning around. The other man held a gun in his hand and pointed it at the back of his father's head. The little boy thought he was watching one of his shows on tv and one of the superheroes would come in and stop the bad guy. The father looked at the study. Right into the boy's eyes as the gun was fired. The little boy covered his mouth and closed his eyes as the sound of his father's lifeless body hit the floor with a resounding thud. He began to cry. The tears stung his face as he ducked down away from the window. He must've made noise because the man began jiggling the door knob to the study. The boy froze in fear. He closed his eyes and covered his mouth even harder. He then heard the jiggling stop and there was nothing but silence. The boy sat in the study for a long time until he heard the sound of police sirens and a young man stepped into the house.

"Hello?" he asked with his gun raised. The boy was frightened yet again. He dove under the desk and waited. Someone began with the doorknob again and the boy covered his mouth and closed his eyes. There was knocking on the door. "GCPD, open up," said the officer. The boy still didn't move. The officer kicked down the door and entered the room. He stopped as he heard sobbing. He walked in the direction of the desk. He bent down and saw the shaken little boy.

"Hey…it's ok, pal. Everything going to be ok," said the officer with a bushy brown moustache and wavy brown hair. He smiled at the little boy. The boy came out from underneath the desk and buried his face into the officer. "Come on. Let's get you out of here." He took the boy in his arms and led him away from the scene, covering his eyes from the corpse and the carnage, although the officer was sure that the boy had already seen a great deal of that. He took the little boy to the patrol car and sat him in the backseat. He then sat in the front seat of the car as he grabbed the small radio.

"This is Lieutenant James Gordon, I have a murder victim. Please send back up to 34th street and house number 16. I'm taking a witness back to the station," said Gordon. He turned around and looked at the boy. "It's going to be ok, son," said Gordon smiling at him. "What's your name?"

"R…Robin Blake," said the boy.

…

Robin John Blake stood in front of the grave, placing the flowers on the new grave. The grave of Bruce Wayne. Blake sighed as he rose.

"Mr. Blake," said a voice behind him. The young man turned and looked behind him. Alfred Pennyworth stood looking at Blake.

"I'm sorry for trespassing," said Blake. The old butler shook his head.

"No, sir. This place is as much yours as mine. But I'm assuming you found what Master Wayne left you," said Alfred. Blake looked down.

"It's because of what I saw that I'm leaving," said Blake. Alfred sighed but he smiled through his wrinkles.

"I respect that. But you need not forget that Master Bruce knew what he was doing when he chose you to take the mantle of the Batman. It will be here when you return," said Alfred.

"I'm not coming back, Alfred," said Blake. "There's too much to lose in this city"

The young man left Alfred behind, silence between the two of them.

…

Blake arrived back at his car and opened the car door as he heard a voice call out to him.

"Mr. Blake!" Alfred called out. Blake turned. "I have something else from Mr. Wayne for you. You say that you're not coming back. But I think I know why. You aren't ready to become the symbol this city needs. But there's someone who can help you."

Alfred held out his hand. A piece of paper was there. Blake took the paper and looked at the note.

"They're coordinates. If you go there, someone will help you," said Alfred. Blake took the paper.

"Where is this person?" Blake asked.

"The Philippines, Mr. Blake," said Alfred. Blake looked at the paper. But it was something going over in his mind.

"There's one more thing I have to know. Bruce Wayne. You are hiding something about him. What really happened to Bruce Wayne?" Blake asked.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that. But I can tell you he's at a far better rest than he's ever known," said Alfred. He walked away and back into the house. Blake got into the car and drove away.


End file.
